Police seek 2 women in attempt to lure boy

SANTA ANA – Investigators are searching for two women who tried to lure a 7-year-old boy into a vehicle while he was walking home from school, police announced Thursday.

The boy was walking home Monday from Newhope Elementary School in the 4500 block of West Kent Avenue when he was confronted by the occupants of a parked minivan in what authorities are investigating as an attempted kidnapping, a police statement said.

A passenger in the van tried to persuade the boy to get into the vehicle by claiming to have ice cream, police said. The driver reportedly told the passenger to "hurry and just get him in the car."

The passenger reached for the boy, police said, who was able to back up and run.

Investigators spoke to three other students who saw the same vehicle parked in the same area Monday. One student reported seeing the vehicle in the area Sunday.

Police described the vehicle as a 2000 to 2007 gold minivan of unknown make or model. The vehicle had dirty rims, a sliding side door, possibly wooden trim and rust marks, and was similar in body style to a Toyota Sienna, authorities said.

The driver was described as a Hispanic woman, 30 to 40 years old with a heavy build, fair complexion, wrinkles on her face and a long, brown ponytail.

The passenger was described as a Hispanic woman, about 40, with a medium build, olive complexion, short, brown, wavy hair and numerous freckles or moles on her face.

The women spoke to the boy in Spanish, police said.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact detectives at 714-245-8390.